𝕐 𝔼 𝕃 𝕃 𝕆 𝕎 | 𝐒𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

24. C h e s s

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and in a blink of an eye, it was the last month of 7th Year and Nora's birthday month.

She sat patiently on a stump near the clearing, the sun quite high in the sky despite the the fact it was 4am. She had a thick jumper on as it still wasn't that warm that early summer morning. She spotted for the four of them; limps, blood and grunts - the whole works.

"Rough one?" Nora trudged towards the four exhausted boys, James practically carrying Remus on his back as Sirius helped Peter and his swallow ankle. Guiding him to another stump, he placed his friend down and stood tall in front of his girlfriend.

"Good morning" Together in perfect harmony they pecked lips and began getting to work. Sirius took his time patching up the small one as Nora and James focused on an unconscious Remus, the pair of them discussing how the night went, sad sighs and yawns exchanged.

"How is she?" Sirius glanced over his shoulder, stealing a look at his best buddy on the moss covered ground also.

"Crying. A lot. I just ... you kept him in good spirits so I'm just as a shocked. Deanna's a strong one though. She's got her boyfriend to keep her grounded but..." Nora shook her head, pulling out another clear vial of liquid from her satchel. "... She misses him. I think anyone would be shocked if their best friend dropped out of school to become death eater. I know how sleepless you've been..." the subject wasn't light but Nora wasn't one to pussyfoot around it after all, Sirius brought it up first. Peter and James averted their eyes and kept quiet, not wanting a say. Sirius sighed and nodded.

"I'll talk to her later..." Sirius nodded. They carried on as normal, all hand on deck as Remus came around dazed. Now in the hospital wing with everyone, Nora gave her sister the monthly update and gave back the remaining inventory from the pre patch up checks. Thanking her little sister, Georgia finished tending to the last wounds on Remus and dismissed the others to go relax.

They linked fingers and strolled through the halls, the sun up higher and the smell of breakfast growing stronger. Taking a seat together at the Gryffindor table with her peers and best friends, Nora rested her head on Sirius' shoulder with her eyes closed and let her ears take in the familiar sounds of happy chatter, the owls chirping and friends voices. She drank it up every chance she could.  Everything was suddenly like a game of chess; everyone was so careful in fear that their most valued and loved people in their life would be wiped clean from the board of life. Times grew harsh over the months and there was more bad news than good. She was grateful that her family was safe and doing everything they could to help others in need but as dark times grew, every day counted. Deanna spent most nights in the hospital wing with their eldest sister to help with her night terrors; drenched in sweat as her mind filled with horrifying visions of her best friends tortured or becoming part of 'The Dark Lords' band of scumbags. Everyone pitched in, trying their best to keep her close and took sleeping shifts in the hospital wing to keep her calm whilst Georgia tried to sleep. She looked exhausted most days as result, they both did.

Lips pressed to Nora's temple, her eyes fluttering open as she enjoyed his warm side embrace and looking around at the others. Lily would hold James' hand as she read the weekly news paper, shaking and muttering. Alice and Frank would take their time talking to everyone and trying their best to keep everyone relaxed and Peter... he wasn't all there; his eyes averted from everyone most of the time and began to become rather jumpy, shaken and twitchy. 

Taking a breath, she squeezed Sirius hand under the table and thanked Merlin that they had started the day off with everyone safe.

- - - - - - - 

Her eyes slowly fluttered as she was sleeping, her body slow in trying to wake up. Giving in to how comfortable she was, she relaxed back and drifted off again. She could feel the gentle breathing from the chest behind her resting against her back; his strong arms resting around her hip as the other rested against her thigh, a book slipping out of their hand.

Wanting to spend their free period alone together, Sirius had once again snuck Nora into his common room and retired them to couch, pulling Nora into his lap and curling her into his chest and gently rubbed her calves.

"Sirius, I will get caught out eventually if you keep sneaking me in here..." Nora warned, looking around constantly, worried about McGonagall.

"Will you trust me, woman" He grunted, his lips pressed to her shoulder as he nuzzled his forehead to the back of her neck, a slight tickle running down her spin. They sat together reading Sirius' new book on broom care, the only thing he would read for leisure other than his 'not so secret' stash of porn he'd hide under Peter's bed to avoid questions. 

Naturally from getting too cosy, they fell asleep.

Sirius' head was wedged at the crook of Nora's neck, his eyelashes gently tickling her neck, giving her a slight twitch as she sleep. 

Students started to flood in from the end of lessons, some now on their free periods, others gathering books they needed for the last lesson. Smirks, awing and mutters were quite, careful not to wake the exhausted couple. Nora and Sirius out of the group slept the least; they were always kept up by night terrors also or using that time to prep themselves for the big world.

Walking in first, James stopped in his tracks at the sight of his best friend and his girl. He loosened his tie, shushing the others as they stepped in behind him. Scrapping his hair back, he sighed loudly, a nagging worry constantly looming on him as he looks at how dishevelled everyone looks, but Sirius the most. He sported dark black circles under his eyes, mini grey hairs started to sprout in his stubble, his precious hair matting slightly from where he's shoved it up everyday instead of his routine brushing. 

Walking around the sofa, he leaned over by the armchair beside the sofa the couple, unfolded a blanket and draped it over them, pecking Nora's head then brushing back some hair from Sirius' face.

"I wish this would all slow down" Lily grumbled, sitting beside the couch, taking Nora's shoes off and then Sirius' 

"Us too, but if anything, it's only going to get faster. You saw the papers this morning Lil's - we'd need a miracle." Remus grumbled also, standing and taking everyones robes to hand on the couch rack. Walking over to place them on the hooks, he leaned his head around the corner to the group "McGonagall"

Hiding the shoes, bags and cloaked quickly, James and Alice grabbed the invisibility cloak and covered Nora and Sirius quickly, giving them a second before their head of house came through the archway.

"Any sign of Mr Black or Miss Lysander at all? Professor Dumbledore had forgotten to return the notes Miss Lysander had marked for him." She looked at the tired new member of the Order, exhausted from their first week of prep.

"No Professor, I think Nora's in bed - she's not been too well. I'll given them to her at dinner" Marlene yawned, reaching for them. Nodding, McGonagall handed them over and rested a hand on James' shoulder.

"Please get as much as rest as you can.... and thank you for everything you are doing." There was a slight gloss to her eyes but none the less a hard press smile, showing her love and care towards her students. Leaving the common room, Alice pulled the cloak off and they breathed a sigh of relief. Stirring slightly, the hidden sleeping beauties started to come to and smile sheepishly at them.

"Did we miss dinner?" they said together by accident, the pair of them looking at each other with amused shock but a little pride as a couple that they were so predicable. Everyone burst into laughter at the pair of them, a sound they craved and adored so very much.